This invention relates to photovoltaic arrays and more particularly to support systems for such arrays.
Photovoltaic arrays include a large number of solar panels which are arranged to provide electric power. This is accomplished by the conversion to electricity of light incident upon the panels.
Significant technological progress that has been made in the production of panels, accompanied by increased efficiency and significant reductions in cost. It now appears that a major cost element involved in the establishment of a wide-scale photovoltaic array is the cost of the support structure that is used to mount the panels of the array in proper position for receiving and converting solar energy.
Many different arrangements have been proposed and some have been implemented experimentally. In general, these support systems are so costly and mechanically complicated that they have seriously hindered the widespread introduction of photovoltaic arrays for the generation of commercial and industrial electricity.
As a result of the cost and mechanical complexity of existing arrays, there has been widespread reluctance to proceed with photovoltaic power systems, despite their obvious advantages in terms of desired environmental effects and conservation of petrochemicals which are more appropriately used for commercial and industrial products, instead of being wasted by burning.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to facilitate the low cost and mechanically simple construction of photovoltaic arrays. A related object is to achieve photovoltaic support systems that are competitive with the cost of generating electric power by conventional methods.
Another object of the invention is to simplify the construction of photovoltaic arrays so that construction companies, without specialized engineering skills, will be able to construct photovoltaic arrays and thus facilitate their introduction into the commercial power grid as a significant source of electricity.